Page 91 of Resting Grump Face
Instead of looking at the documents, I walk over to Ryker and check his head. There’s a minor cut where his hair swirls in a little circle.
“Guy, could you please get the first aid kit from the reception?” I ask and watch as he runs off (as fast as someone his age can run) the legs of the pantyhose gently swaying through the air.
For a moment there is silence, only the leaky faucet in the corner emitting a faint drip.
This is a mess. How the hell did we end up like this?
“We should make him sign the building over to us,” Robyn concludes as she looks over the papers with Paige.
“Why not add half my fortune along with it?” Ryker’s smug voice echoes from behind us.
“And add three-fourths of his fortune,” Robyn hisses. “And then shoot him with that thing,” she points at the gun, “for betraying us.”
“Ha!” Ryker exclaims loudly as Guy returns and hands me the kit. “I didn’t betray anyone. I am not Sienna de la fucking Vega, after all.”
I put the gun in the waistband of my jeans, take the disinfectant, and liberally spray it onto his wound. “What the fuck are you on about?”
“Cut the crap, Sienna. I know.”
I dab the wound with a gauze, and once I see his condescending eyes, decide to add some more disinfectant. “Seriously, what are you talking about?” I ask as I get the bandage ready.
“I am talking about what you did…”
I am stumped..
What the hell is he saying? What did I do?
“I know, Sienna! I know!”
“Oh, yeah? You know what?” I raise my voice. “That I was the one who stole your pants at the airport? You’re a real life Sherlock Holmes. You know that I only came and worked for you to save Robyn from eviction? Genius! You know that I watched you meet Dicky to buy our home? You know that I am friends with a bunch of crazy people who would kidnap our new slumlord? You know that I was dumb enough to actually fall in love with someone like you?” I take a step back, breathing heavily, tears in my eyes. Then I pull the gun from my waistband.
Ryker watches with his mouth open as I let the barrel wander from in-between his eyes, down to his dick. He doesn’t flinch when I pull the trigger.
Drops of water rain down on his crotch, making him look like he peed himself. A second later, a worried sigh escapes his lips as the tears start running down my cheeks.
“I don’t care if you kick me out, you bastard, but you can’t evict those idiots.” I shoot some water in the direction ofeveryone else. “They don’t deserve to suffer. I mean, they might deserve to suffer a little, but they don’t deserve homelessness.”
Ryker looks down on himself, then starts to giggle. A second later, the giggle morphs into a full-blown laugh that echoes through the basement. Guy is the first to join in. The rest of the bunch, for whatever reason, start laughing as well. Everyone but me.
A moment later, they’re all silent again. Ryker has escaped his ties and eagerly embraces my face, holding me in place.
“I am sorry,” he says with the biggest smile. “I am so sorry, Sienna. Can you forgive me?”
“No.” I try to shake my head but can’t.
His hands are much too strong, so all I can do is stare. His scent lingers in the air, and if I wasn’t entirely spellbound by his damned eyes, I’d probably try to knee him where it hurts the most. Instead, I let him smush my face, forcing my lips to purse.
He presses his mouth against mine, causing my body to lose its anger-induced tension for just a moment.
“Yes, you can,” he says with unreasonable confidence. “You have to forgive me. You don’t have a choice. I’m putting my foot down.”
“You better start explaining what’s happening or I’m putting my foot somewhere you’re not going to enjoy it.” The words come out mumbled. After another smooch, Ryker finally loosens his grip.
“I am not entirely sure yet. All I know is that you didn’t do it. I thought you did. I thought you had betrayed me, but now I suspect someone is trying to set you up.” He lets out a relieved sigh. “Yesterday, when I returned to the office, you were out… doing whatever.”
“Secret mission,” Guy whispers from behind us. “With her family…”
“And so, I went to check your calendar for where you might be. And when I woke up your computer, it was showing Ryker’s Rumors. Not just showing, you were logged in as the admin. There was a whole new article about me, written but not published yet.”
